The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-12-03

DFuSu6u Huu bluleu hll uHys CuEtHiu
was hung in the corner for wardrobe. A
box, turned on it's side served wheu
Grandpa put shelf in it-for pantry
and table.
When grandpa came in from chopping
their firewood, he found their table spread
with coarse cloth, the butter dripping
over the nicely-browned edges of a pile
of toast, beside it plate of fakes of cold
lamb, while the teapot sent out its sweet
breath from the hearth.
Supper over, Sylvia took soap and
tea to vel to the edge of the brook that
tumbled by their new home not twenty
feet away Grandpa brought the dishes
to the wide, smooth rock, and Sylvia
washed them in the running water.
When they were wiped, she hung her
towel on the bushes and went in to feed
Mouser.
She felt queer to go to sleep in that
wild nook, and the shoot, hoot," of an
owl overhead made her get up and sit
| by the embers on the hearth.
When the owl flew away, and she
could hear only the splashing of the
brook, she crept back to bed again and
slept till Mouser woke her by trying to
burrow under her neck.
Grandpa was gone, but soon returned
with three fat trout from the brook.
These we're done brown on a spit, some
potatoes were roasted in the ashes
and merry breakfast they had of it.
After prayers, Grandpa shouldered his
axe. and, lifting Sylvia to kiss her, said:
"Good. by. Take care of things: You're
queen now of the whole mounting"
Queen! Dearie mer' replied Sylvia.
"Queens don't wash dishes, and darn
stockings, and"
. 9" ST don't know" he answered. Yes,
guess some qusens'd want to darn
their baby's stockin'e. Well ask Queen
Victoria about it when we go to see her."
Sylvia looked sober. Any queen would
be glad to see grandpa, and she would
make her just the prettiest work basket,
with pink pin-cushion in one corner
and rustic "V" worked
"Good-b by, little one," said grandpa
"Good-by:"
The dishes washed and the house
tidied, Sylvia took her pitcher to go for
the milk. Over the old coal road Mr..
Marsh's COWS passed to and from pas
ture.
AS she walked along she looked far
down into the valley where lay her
home, low and white, with petals OF the
white roses blowing from it like snow
fakes.
"Mr. Marsh" she said when she had
watched him milking awhile, ''please let
me try to milk"
~ want t'know," he exclaimed. "Lem-
me see your fingers. Obi them little
things. They why old Gem'd think
they wuz fly legs, and KICK
'Please let me try" she said.
She tried and she succeeded so well
that the next Tuesday Mr.. Marsh said
she could do her own milking right at
her own door.
So, every morning, when she heard
the tinkling of the bell, che went out
with q carrot for old Gem, and MIXED
her yellow pitcher full.
Happy wood lifei But it all came to an
end one night in this way.
Supper was ready; puffy white biscuits
from Mrs. Marsh, and nice brown slices
of ham on the table and the tea was
simmering on the Goals.
Sylvia went to call her grandfather,
who was hard at work telling tree that
seemed in danger of falling on the house,
but he knew how to make it fall away
from the house.
"Supper's ready" she called.
"Don't sayP' he replied. "Well, I
can't say as am, quite; I'd like to get
this tree down first, Missy"
"Please come now, an finish chopin
after supper" Sylvia answered.
After supper he sat down in the red
freight.
"For just minute" he said.
| "But soon - nod, nod, nod = he was
fast asleep. In an hour he started up
with wide open eyes, declaring that he
had singh about got asleep" and pinch
ing Sylvia's lips when they smiled. They
had both forgotten the half felled tree,
and soon they were asleep in bed.
Mouser and Towser were asleep on
the hearth, where the fire which they
usually needed in the evening -drowsed
slowly to sleep under it's gray ashes.
When Sylvia awoke in the night the
wild soughing of the trees and the hard
beating of the rain told that it was
storming. She listened awhile in lit
tie dread, but soon slept calmly again.
A frighttul crash awoke her. She
started up. A falling timber had struck
her. With heart choking with fright she
sprang from her bed.
There lay grandpa, huge limb of the
fallen tree across his body. She went to
! him. He was breathing hardly.
ooh! grandpa! grandpa!"
A thread of scarlet wound across his
white forehead.
"Ohl grandpal grandpa
But grandpa could not hear. Only
One could hear now. Her pale shivering
lips moved, and her eyes looked out
through the open roof into the dark sky.